SNP failing young people on mental health target

Mary Scanlon MSP, Scottish Conservative Health Spokesperson, has discovered that in 2011 the SNP Scottish Government is still not meeting a recommendation – set in 2005 – to have 60 psychiatric inpatient places for young people in Scotland.

Mary Scanlon MSP said:

"Six years ago a working group recommended that there should be 60 psychiatric inpatient places across Scotland but in 2011, after an entire term of SNP government and at the start of their second session, there are only 42 places with a business case being developed for an additional six beds in Dundee to cover the North of Scotland.

"While the extra places for the North are welcome it raises serious questions about the SNP's commitment to young people with mental health problems if they have ignored the recommendation of the Inpatient Working Group. This group clearly felt in 2005 that the number of places needed in Scotland was 60 and am I sure they will be disappointed that six years on we are only two thirds of the way towards this target.

"Young people suffering with mental health problems need the right treatment at the right location and quite simply the SNP are not providing this."

Below are the questions Mary Scanlon MSP asked and the responses she received

i) Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds are required for inpatient services for young people with mental health issues.

Mr Michael Matheson MSP:

We are working closely with NHS Boards to ensure that the number of specialist beds matches the need and demand of children and adolescents. We are also encouraging NHS Boards to develop their community based intensive outreach services in order to enable children and young people to return to their own communities at an earlier stage of their recovery.

Since 2009 the Scottish Government has invested an additional £2 million annually to support these developments which shorten the time young people have to be in hospital and free up capacity for others who require admission.

The Scottish Executive Inpatient Working group recommended in their 2005 document Psychiatric Inpatient Services for Children and Young People in Scotland: A way Forward, that planning should commence for a phased increase to 60 psychiatric inpatient places for young people in Scotland, with ongoing review of need and demand.

Due to the significant investment to deliver faster access to specialist child and adolescent mental health services in the community, the developments in community based intensive outreach services and the increase in the CAMHS workforce, the number of psychiatric inpatient beds has been revised to 48.

ii) Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds there are for inpatient services for young people with mental health issues.

Mr Michael Matheson MSP:

In patient services for adolescents are provided by 3 regional units in Scotland. These are the South of Scotland, based at Royal Edinburgh Hospital with 12 beds serving Lothian, Fife & Borders, West of Scotland based at Stobhill Hospital Glasgow with 24 beds serving Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Forth Valley, Lanarkshire, Dumfries & Galloway and Ayrshire & Arran; and the North of Scotland based at in Dundee with 6 beds, serving Tayside, Grampian, Highland, Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles.

To meet demand the North of Scotland planning group are currently developing an outline business case for rebuilding of the Dundee unit to include the addition of another 6 beds.

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